Bus

Muni LRV maintenance facility wins award

[IMAGE]muni.jpg[/IMAGE]The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's (SFMTA) Muni Metro East Light Rail Maintenance and Operations Facility was named Public Works Project of the Year for 2009 in the Transportation Category (more than $75 million) by the American Public Works Association (APWA). Gannett Fleming (GF) served as the lead consulting engineer in a joint venture with AGS Inc. for the planning, design and construction support of the $120 million facility.

GF's Mill Valley, Calif., led the project, providing project management; industrial engineering planning; equipment requirements and specifications; mechanical engineering; and railroad systems engineering services, including catenary, signals, traction power and communications systems, from initial project planning through completion of construction. The new fully-electrified yard boasts 15 storage tracks for 80 light rail vehicles (LRVs), with provisions for future expansion for storage of 100 LRVs, as well as an automatic train control test track.

This 181,000-square-foot LRV maintenance facility and storage yard was built on a 13-acre parcel of land and is most likely the most compact, new LRV site to be built in the U.S. within the past 30 years, according to officials.

The project was substantially completed in September 2008, one month ahead of schedule.

The campaign is similar to the one developed for subways, with the focus on reminding passengers that avoiding certain behaviors can ensure a faster and more pleasant ride for everyone. Reminders include step aside to let others off first; remove your backpack; and don’t clip your nails on the bus.

While Founder Matt George is interested in connecting Capitol Hill, K Street and Dupont Circle, it’s not yet clear if those will be the neighborhoods Bridj starts with. The start-up is encouraging interested customers to request specific routes on its website

Des Moines Area Regional Transit's 60-foot low floor articulated buses will replace high-floor buses and include newly installed ramps, remanufactured power trains, transmissions, engines and brakes. It will also be equipped with two ADA compliant wheelchair lifts.